Avoid the Siren Song of Something Else

By Shannon M. Medisky

No matter how hard you work to avoid it and much you loathe the idea of forking out hard earned money to pay for it, there are unavoidable times you must invest in something new. Soothe the shock of having to shell out the cash and take comfort in the fact that there is much you can do to help minimize the price you pay. In fact, don’t make the mistake of thinking that scouring the Internet, checking out advertising fliers and clipping coupons are the only way to save money on your purchase because there’s yet another easy way to spend less on your new investment: Avoid the siren song of something else.

Know exactly what you want and refuse to pay for more. Generally speaking, the more bells, whistles and “extras” an item features, the more you’ll likely pay. Before you even consider price shopping or seeking out a purchase source, devote some time to identifying exactly what you need and want from your new purchase. From size to functions available to the ongoing price of use such as refills and replaceable accessories, the very first step to avoiding purchasing something you really don’t need is to identify exactly what you need. By ensuring you know exactly what you’re in the market for, you’ll be better equipped to compare apples to apples instead of oranges to apples when it comes to price.

Only have eyes for what you need and look no further. Just because the whiz-bang version is on sale for a great price does not make it a great buy for you. If you don’t need it and end up buying it anyway – whether it comes to a larger size or added functions – there’s no savings, no matter how great the discount or price break may initially seem. Admittedly, if the price is better than or the same as the model or version you were in the market for, by all means, take advantage and pick it up. But more often than not, straying from and window shopping the next tier up just leads to temptation that can leave your wallet featuring a larger hole than was really necessary. Protect your budget, avoid the unnecessary temptation and spare your heart unnecessary disappointment by falling in love with something you really don’t need and really can’t afford. Only having eyes for what you need and stop looking.

Don’t always skimp. Just splurge within reason. Life isn’t always about sacrificing. After all, working hard day in and day out without the enjoyment and pleasure of a payoff once in awhile can leave you jaded, grumpy and miserable. That considered, do invest in a splurge once in awhile on items that will either truly improve your quality of life, add beauty to your surroundings or just simply make you happy. The key is to know when to splurge, when to practice restraint and when to get even more determined and creative about getting a great deal. Choosing to splurge once and awhile on things that really count will make sticking to only what you need the rest of the time much easier to do.

Photo credit: Amanda SG

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